Jigging mechanism



"Jui'. 28, 1930. I M. J. LIDE ,7

JIGG-ING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 2, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 minMmzTm J.LIDE

Jan. 28, 1930. M. J. LIDE JIGGING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 OriginalFiled Aug. 2, 1924 FL yqZ rwenbm. MQRTINJ. L\ DE.

.Jan. 28, 1930; UDE 1,745,305

' JIGGING MECHANISM v Original Filed Aug. 2, 1924 e Sheets-Sheet 3 mil"5 meul'cy. MHETINJ. LIDE V Jan. 28, 1930, M. J. LIDE 1,745,305

JIGGING ME GHANI SM Original Filed Aug. 2, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 -E\ R kI 7 kg nvfnlolt MARTIN J. LIDE.

Jam 2,8, 1930. M. J. LI DE' 1,745,305

'JI GGING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 2, 1924 6 Sheets Sheet 5Qwenl'm.

MARTIN J.L|DE

Jan. 28, 1930. M. J. LIDE JI-GGING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 2, 19246 SheetsShevet 6 7 5 i I i Q N11 R 33: T i

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MQRTLN J. LIDL Patented Jan. 28, 1930 i i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN J. LIDE, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA J'IGGING MECHANISM Applicationfiled. August 2, 1924, Serial No. 729,672. Renewed August 6, 1928.

My invention relates to certain new and sively removed by varying theintensity and useful improvements in jigging mechanism, frequency of theimpulses or of the agitation which in the embodiment presented is moreimparted to the material on the jig screens. particularly designed forthe treatment of According to my present invention, the difiercoal butwhich is obviously applicable to the cut treatments in the successivejigs is con- 5 treatment of other materials which require trolled byseveral factors, such as the difierseparation by flotation methods. encein head between the supply water and the In Letters Patent No.1,491,870, issued to jig tank, and the variation in the intensity, me onthe 29th day of April, 1924, I have duration and frequency of theimpulses, which 1@ illustrated and described a jigging mechafactors areseverally subject to control wherenism wherein opposing synchronous imbyI effect the desired treatment at each stage. pulses of water wereadmitted to the jig tank In View of the fact that there is, in the typebelow the screen under the control of valves Of in question, auni-directional flow of substantially coextensive in length or widthWater through the jig screen, which causes a 15 with the side or end ofthe screen, according relatively large flow of water, it is desirable tth i arrangement, One of the principal to make provision for utilizingthis in the objects of my present invention is to imsuccessive stagesand to this end my invention prove and perfect the valve mechanism forcontemplates the setting of the successive jigs controlling andregulating the impulses of at decreasing levels throughout the stages2.0 Water delivered to h ji t k d t thi and utilizing the water as itflows from one end I contemplate, broadly speaking, the to another tankto supply the needed head at tili ti f lti t d lv h by, each tank toinduce pulsations of the required with a relatively short movement, theported v loci y in each Stage without any other 4 area of the valve canbe fully opened and power than gravity. In order to make the closed,such movement being either reciproca- W er thus successively availablefor the jigs tory, oscillatory or rotary, as may be desired. I p de aScre n between each two stages in More particularly my inventioncontemthe sluice way over which concentrates from plates certainimprovements in the preferred 0116 pg k HOW to the neXtsucceeding jig, tf 1ti -t d Valve hi h i f th the water removed by the screen from theconoscillatory type and designed so that with a atcs being del vered tothe supply tank i i f -i gi d a l ti l h t of the succeeding ig and suchpart thereof stroke the valve may be fully opened or closed as S 1H Q athe requirements of the and permitting the opposing valves to be ndary 1g, 18 dlvcrted by a pass means to gry gin ply connected for both a jointand the SQlltllllg tank 01 the return circuit,

synchronous movement. Moreover, the valve y lnlellvtlon furthercontemplates i111 l d it lf t i li it i t ti provements 1n the means forcontrolling the cessibility, minimum friction, and a low cost S1%Lt6 gS0 at he cXtcnt to which the gate b th f od ti d ai t 1s opened and itstimed relation to the im- My invention also contemplates the designp esof Water flowing through its respeclng or the jig tank below the screenwith pastlvc 11g screen can be controlled d varied sages tor the waterimpulses which are formed S0 as to pr e the bes operating results. byurved urfaces designed fo gli ninatjng lllVGlltlOl'l COlllZBlllPlittGSthat tllG GXtGllt OI any settlement or eddy space and causing the theslate gates opening shall be controlled by impulses to flow with theleast possible frica change in leverage in its actuating mechatic-n ordisturbance directly from the valves nism, and that its timed relationto the imto the j screen. pulse shall be controlled by an adjustment ofll Iy invention relates to certain improveits actuating mechanism incombination with ments in adapting the type of jig in question anoverlapping of the gate below its port.

for multi-stage jigging wherein refuse of rel- My invention furthercontemplates an imatively decreasing specific gravity is succesprovedtype of jig screen designed to elimi' nate dead spaces on which materialcan rest above it and to reduce to a minimum the loss of head toimpulses flowing through it.

My invention also comprises the other novel details of construction andarrange ment of parts, which in their preferred embodiments only areillustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part of thisspecification, and in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a single stagemultiple jig in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, showing a modified type ofvalve and slate gate operating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig.1.

Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective of the preferred type of valvewith its seat partly broken away.

Fig. 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view through a portion of thevalve in its seat.

Fig. 7 is a detail view illustrating the slate gate operating mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the slate gate and thedischarge end of the jig screen.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the discharge end of the jig screen withthe slate gate, weir plate and sluice way, partly shown.

Fig. 10 is a detail cross-sectional view through a part of the jigscreen.

Fig. 11 is a plan of a multi-stage jig in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal vertical crosssectional view taken on the line12-12 of Fi 11.

ig. 13 is a detail view of a part of the screen between the jigs.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 10,excepting Fig. 3, 1 show a jigging mechanism comprising a storage bin 1suitably supported by columns 2 and having a rotary feeder 3 whichcontrols the rate of feed of the material to be jigged down the chute 4and onto the screen in the jig tank 6. The screen, as shown more clearlyin Fig. 10, is formed by a series of bars having their ends shaped toabut and rest on the seat 7 provided in the end alls 8 and 9 of the jigtank. The intermediate or working portion 10 of the bars is shaped toform between them passages for the flow of the water which convergeupwardlyto a minimum intermediate orifice and then diverge to the topsurface of the screen, thus providing passages of an approximate Venturitype whereby the water passes through the screen with the minimum lossof head. There are no dead spaces left on top of the screen since thescreen bars along their upper surfaces are reduced to sharp edges. Thisleaves no surface upon which any particles on the screen can restwithout being subject to impulses of water flowing upwardly through thescreen.

At its discharge end the wall 8 is offset to provide a guide 11 intowhich the slate gate 12 can drop for a substantial distance below thetop level of the screen. This overla 'iping of the gate is provided as ameans to permit the extent of its opening movement to be controlled inthe manner which will be later described. The gale itself works inguides 13 set in the concrete or other structure of the jig and thisguide also carries a weir plate 1 1 which is ruljustably bolted to it.An angle 15, secured i n the masonry, supports the upper end of a sluiceway 16 down which the concentrate and evuflow water pass to the settlingtank 17, where a bafilc 18 is provided about the point of inflow of thewater so as to prevent undue disturbance or waves in the settling tank.The s ate or refuse is delivere l by a chute 19 into a compartment 20 inwhich a drag conveyor 21 works and acts to convey the slate or refuse toany suitable discharge. The side walls 22 of the tank terminate belowthe screen and with the U-shapcd converging bottom walls of the ig tankform curved co-extensive in length with the length of the screen and neeting along a medial line between side walls 22. These curved passages23. ali'ord uin'estrieted communication between the lower tank and thesupply compartments 2s: on each side. To these compartments 21 watersupplied from a return circulation or from any source of supply and isnormally maintained at a mean level substantially high-er than that inthe tank, the difference in elevation being in ac cordance with theintensity desired for the 111113111863. At the bottom of each supplycompartment I interpose a valve seat 25 which is suitably supported byangles 26 anchored in the concrete and this seat is semi-circular intransverse vertical cross section and has side flanges 27 which overlapthe angle irons 2G. Sen'ii-circular walls 28 close the seat at each endand are disposed to abut the end walls of the con'ipartments. The seatis provided with a series of ports 29 which are preferably elongated inthe direction of the length of the and arranged in transverse rows so asto form a multi-ported seat for the semi-circu ar cillatory valve 30,which itself is provided with transverse series of ports 31 lying in thesame transverse planes with the series of seat ports 29 andcorresponding in size and shape therewith. The valve is provided withspiders 32 which are clamped on. a shaft 2-33 that is journaled inbearings 34. on brackets pro *ided on the end walls 38 of the valveseat. An operating arm 35 is connected to the clamp member 36 which isbolted about the shaft- 33 to flanges on the spider 32, thereby clampingthe valve to its supporting shaft 33. The port arrangements of the valveand seat are such that a relatively small angular movement of the armwill oscillate the valve from full open to full closed position and viceversa. The valve mechanism described is utilized in each supplycompartment for each jig tank and where a battery of jigs are providedside by side the operating arms 35 of all of the valves are preferablyarranged in alignment so that they can all be hingedly connectedoverhead to a common re ciprocating actuator 37. As shown, this actuatoris an I-beam that is supported by the arms 35 and at one end is hingedlyconnected to a pitman rod 38 which is driven from a crank disk 39 on ashaft 40. The shaft 40 is mounted in suitable bearings 41 and is drivenby a chain 42 from a back geared motor 43. By this means the actuator 37is reciprocated and the several valves 30 are moved in unison to openand close the seat ports and cause impulses of water to flow through thecurved inlet passages 23 to the tank below the screen. These impulseswill flow up through the spaces between the screen bars in themannerabove described and will act eliiciently to effect the separationof the lighter from the heavier matter. The lighter will pass over theslate gate 12 and Weir plate 14 and will be discharged along with theoverflow Water from the jig through the sluice way 16.

The slate gate control mechanism in the preferred embodimentillustrated, comprises a cam plate 44 carried by the actuator 37 andhaving its double reverse curved surface engaged by a roller 45,journaled in a rocker 46 that is pivotally mounted at an intermediatepoint in the bracket 47 and has its other end connected by a rod 48 toone end of an overhead rocker arm 49. This rocker arm 49 is pivoted atits center to a bracket 50 carried by an overhead support 51 and itsother end is connected by a rod 52, with a turn buckle 53 providedtherein for adjustment purposes, to a clamp 54 which is adjustable alonga lever 55 which is fulcrumed to the upper end of the bracket 47 and atits free end carries a curved face 56 struck on an are from its fulcrum.A chain or flexible connection 57 is attached at the upper end of thecurved face 56 and at its lower end is suitably connected by divergentchains 58, or the like, to each end of the slate gate 12. The clamp 54,as more clearly seen in Fig. 7, is provided with a set screw 59 by meansof which it may be clamped on the lever 55 at the desired distance fromits fulcrum. The cam 44 is so disposed upon the actuator that duringeach cycle of a valve 30, which cycle involves fully opening it and thenclosing it for a period of rest, the slate gate will be raised andlowered, the relative timing of its movement being dependent on theextent to which it is permitted to overlap the end Wall 8 by droppinginto the groove 11 and this overlap is controlled by the adj ustmentallowed by the turn buckle 53. For controlling the extent to which theslate gate is raised, the clamp 54 can be adjusted back and forth alongthe arm 55 and the length of the leverage determines the extent of theopenlng.

A sluice way 60 surrounds the inlet tank 17 and takes the overflowtherefrom, delivering it down the inclined sluice way walls 61 to aninlet pipe 62 of a pump 63, which, under control of valve 64, deliversthe water by means of a pipe 65 to a manifold chamber 66. From thismanifold chamber the water flows under control of valves 67 to the watersupply chamber 68 of each jig, these chambers for eaclrrespective jigbeing kept separate by a partition 69 so that either ig may be cut outof service when desired.

With my circulation system therefore the water overflowing from thesettling tank 17 returns by the sluice way 60 and pipe 62 to the pump 63and thence is delivered to the manifold chamber 66 and under valvecontrol delivered to the supply chambers 68 of the several tanks, whenceit flows to the supply compartments 24 and hence under control of thevalves 30 is delivered through curved passages 23 into the tank belowthe screen and forced upwardly through the latter and flows to thesettling tank with the overflow from the jig.

The embodiment of my invention in a multi-stage jigging mechanism isillustrated in Figs. 11 to 1.3. Here the construction of the tankproper, together with its bin and feed mechanism is the same asdescribed in connection with the single stage jig. The only differenceis that here the are not arranged in battery form and hence the pipe 65from the pump leads directly into the supply chamber 68 of the initialwhence it passes to the supply compartments 24 flanking such jig on eachside and there is controlled by the oscillatory valve mechanism alreadydescribed, to form pulsations which enter the ig tank. Also the slategate mechanism, weir plate and sluice way are all the same, except thatthe sluice way 16 stops with the far wall 69 of the slate compartment20, and this wall 69 forms one wall of the supply chamber 68 for thenext lower. tank 6. This latter chamber 68 communicates with the supplycompartments on each side of such secondary and from these the waterunder control of the oscillatory valve mechanism described, enters thesecondary tank, flows up through the screen 5 therein, and overflowsinto a sluice way 16, corresponding to that shown in Fig. 4, and thencepasses to the settling tank 17 or to a suceeding stage or to the returncircuit, as may be desired. The supply pipe 62 for the pump leads fromthe sluice way 60 into which water overflows from the settling tank. Thesluice way 1(3 between stages delivers the water and concentratespassing from the initial jig tank over a screen which extends across thesupply chamber 68 for the secondary jig. The screen is formed by barsmounted on cross rods Set with spacer washers separating thenuas will beseen more clearly in Fig. 13. This causes the water overflowing from theinitial to pass directly into the supply chamber 68 of the next ig andthence to flow to the supply compartments 24 for such secondary jigwhich is at a lower level than the initial Inasmuch as it willordinarily be desirable to subject the material in the initial jig tomore violent agitation to separate the heaviest or coarsest mattertherefrom, such, for instance. as the slate in coal, leaving the bonecoal to be separated from the coal in the secondary jig, it follows thatthere will be a greater volume of water needed to give the high velocitypulsations in the first than required to give the lower velocitypulsations in the second jig where the materials to he treated, being ofmuch closer relative specific gravity, will require much violentgitation for their separation. To prevent this excess of water from thefirst jig interfering with the operation of the secondary I provideby-pass sluice gates 71 at the lower end of the latter jigs supplycompartments 24 and by raisin or lowering these sluice gates more orless 0 the water can be by-passed over extensions 72 of the sluice wayinto the settling tank 17 By this arrangement water impulses of longduration and relatively large volume can be delivered to the initial jigand impulses of much shorter duration and lesser volume can be deliveredto the secondary so that the mechanism will efficiently remove theheavier matter in the primary treatment jig and the lighter material inthe secondary treatment jig. The bone coal, for instance, recovered fromthe slate compartment of the secondary tank is available for fuelpurposes and leaves the concentrate delivered to the settling tank afterthe two treatments practically free of all matter which it is desired toremove therefrom. The operation of each of the tanks in the multi-stageseries is identical with that described for an individual tank.

In the operation of my invention as applied to the single stage jig, thedifference in head between the supply compartments 2% and the jiggingtank (3 is first established, the differ ence being such as to produceimpulses of the desired velocity. The next adjustment is that ofdetermining the desired frequency for the impulses, and this iscontrolled by the speed of the motor drive to the reciprocatingactuator, it being contemplated that the R. P. M. of the crank can bevaried in any well known manner.

The next control feature to be determined is the duration of theimpulses which is relative to the periods of rest or subsidence for the1naterial being acted upon in the jig tank, and this duration factor iscontrolled by the ratio of the width of the valve ports and that of theblank spaces between seat ports, the greater the relative width of theblank spaces the longer the period of subsidence. It is contemplatedthat seats for the valves having blank spaces of various widths will beprovided. Having adjusted these control factors according to tl e workdesired in the ig, the mechanism is started up, the material to betreated is fed to the jig, the slate or refuse bed accumulates on thescreen and the reciprocations of the actuator impart vertical movementsto the slate gate which must be timed relative to the impulses andraised to a hei 'ht which will the best results for the discharge of therefuse or slate. The timing of the movements of the slate gate relativeto the impulses is effected by the position of the slate gate cam a: onthe actuator. this being set to the desired position. The e): ent of thegates effective opening movement is then adjusted by setting the clamp59 at the desired distance from the fulcrum of the lever and finally theextent to which the gate rises above the screen bed in the is determinedby an adjustment oi its turn buckle 53 which regulates the extent oi itsoverlap below the screen bed. Having adjusted the slate gate movementsin the several ways above described, the mechanism is ready forcontinuous operation and the concentrates pass over with the overflowwater to the settling apparatus and are there treated in the customarymanner.

In the operation of the multi-stage jig the two successive jigs operatein the same man ner but generally the secondary operates under a lessdifference in head between the jig tank and its supply compartments 24,thus causing impulses of lesser intensity in the secondary jig. Alloverflow water from the primary passes through the screen 70 in itssluice way 16 and flows to the supply com partinents 68 for thesecondary jig, and since the latter will have impulses of lesserintensity there would be a surplus of water for the secondary were itnot diverted by the bypass sluice gatc: 71 to the settling tank orreturn circulation. The important feature of this arrangement is that noadditional supply of water is required for any stage after the primarystage since each successive stage can be set at a lower level and thewater caused to flow continuously from the primary ig' tank through thesupply compartments to each jig tank in the subsequent stages.

In Fig. 3 I show a modified type of oscillatory multi-ported valve todeliver the impulses of water to the jig. Here, the supplyconiparti'nents 2 L connect directl with the curved passages 23 whichhave interposed across them a multi-ported seat 25 having ports thereinlike seat 25. These seats 25 are arcuate with their concave surfacestacing each other and struck on centers from the aXis of a shait 73disposed along the apex of the curved walls forming the bottom of theconverging passages 23. This shaft 73 projects through an end wall ofthe tank and is operated by an external rocker arm 74 driven by aconnecting rod 75 from the eccentric 76. The shaft 73 carries arcuatemulti-ported oscillatory valves 30, similar to the valves 30, andarranged as they move angularly in the same direction to simultaneouslyopen or close the ports in their respective seats 25; The shaft 73carries an external arm 77 which at its free end is secured to a rod 78having a turn buckle 79 therein. This rod operates a rocker 80 which bya rod 81 is connected to the cuff 54 on the slate gate lever 55, whichis here shown curved in order that adjustments of the cult thereon willnot require compensating adjustment of the turn buckle 79. The lever 55has a tulcrum 82 on a side wall of the tank. This valve and slate gatemechanism will operate like that described above.

I provide any desired number of clean out pipes 83 for each passage 23.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A jigging mechanism comprising a jig tank, water storage compartmentsalong opposite sides of the tank, valve means interposed at the bottomportion or said compartments, a screen bed in the tank, and U-shapedpassages arranged to deliver pulsa tions of water from each compartment,which passages converge upwardly towards and meet along a transversemedial line below the screen between said compartments.

2. A mechanism comprising a tank and screen, a supply tank alongside thejig tank and opening thereinto below the screen, and a multi-portedoscillatory valve controlling the delivery of impulses of water from thesupply tank to the tank below the screen, said valve being substantiallyparallel and co-extensive with the adjacent side of the screen.

3. A jigging mechanism comprising a jig tank and screen, a water supplytank alongside the jig tank having communication with the latter belowthe screen, an accurate multiported valve seat interposed between thelower part oi the supply compartment and the jig tank, a multi-portedvalve mounted to control said seat ports and admit pulsation of water tothe jig tank, and means to periodically open said valve.

4. A jigging mechanism of the multi-stage type comprising at each stagea tank having a water supply tank in which the normal water level ismaintained substantially above its respective jig tank and in which thewater level of: each tank is maintained above the level of the supplytank of the succeeding j i valve means to control the delivery of waterimpulses from each supply tank into its re spective jig tank, a screenand slate gate mechanism for each jig tank, sluice ways for conductingthe overflow water and concentrates between the stages, a settling tank,and means to return the water therefrom to the initial stage.

5. A jigging mechanism according to claim at, in which means is providedto by-pass excess water around secondary jig tanks requiring impulses oflesser velocity than in a preceding 6. A jigging mechanism according toclaim 4%, in which means are provided to direct the overflow water fromeach jig into the supply tank for the succeeding 7. A jigging mechanismaccording to claim 4, in which a screen is provided in the sluice wayleading to a secondary jig tank and is disposed to deliver the waterpassing through it to the supply tank of the next succeeding 8. Ajlgglng mechanism comprlsing a jig tank having a screen therein and asuitable slate gate, water supply passages leading downwardly alongopposite sides of the tank and then inwardly under the jig screen andconverging upwardly to meet at a point adjacent to the screensubstantially midway between the supply ends of the passages, saidpassages being of substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout,and synchronously operated valve means to deliver pulsations of waterunder the desired head from said passages to the jig tank below thescreen.

9. In a jigging mechanism, a jig tank having a water supply compartmentopening at its lower end, a multi-ported valve in said compartment,means to oscillate said valve, a reciprocatory slate gate for the jigtank, and means to operate the gate by the valve ElCtll-a atingmechanism.

10. In a jigging mechanism, a jig tank having opposed water supplycompartments opening at their lower ends into the tank 011 oppositesides, multi-ported valves in said compartments, means to oscillate saidvalves in synchronism, a reciprocatory slate gate for the jig tank, andmeans to operate the gate by the valve actuating mechanism.

11. A jigging mechanism comprising a jig tank having a screen and awater supply compartment, an oscillatory valve for controlling thedelivery of water impulses from said compartment into the jig tank, areciprocatory slate gate, a reciprocating actuator connected to saidvalve to operate it, an element adjustable on said actuator, and meansto transmit motion from said element to reciprocate the slate gate.

12. A jigging mechanism according to claim 11, in which said gateoperating c011- nections are adjustable as to length, and the slate gatehas a seat extending below the jig screen, which seat said slate gate isadapted to overlap to an extent controlled by said I adjustment in itsoperating connection.

13. A 'igging mechanism according to claim 11, 111 which the operatingconnections for the gate comprise a lever connected at its free end tothe gate and having the connections which rock it about its fulcrumadjustable from and towards the fulcrum to vary the travel of the slategate.

14. A jigging mechanism according to claim 11, in which the actuator isa cam and 15, the gate operating connections comprise a rocker having aroller engaging said cam, said cam being adjustable on the actuator totime the operation of the slate gate relative to the opening of thevalve. 20 15. In a jigging mechanism, a jig screen, means comprising anintermittently opening valve to admit impulses of water to pass upwardlythrough said screen, a slate gate raising it in synchronism with theopening 25 of said valve, means to reciprocate the slate gate, means toadjust the height to which the slate gate is lifted above the screen,and a weir plate associated with the slate gate.

16. A jigging mechanism in accordance 30 with claim 17, in which theweir gate is fixedly mounted on the jig alongside the reciprocatingslate gate and adapted to be ad justed to difi'erent heights above saidslate gate.

17. A jigging mechanism comprising a jig tank and screen, a water supplytank alongside the jig tank having communication with the latter belowthe screen, a multiported valve seat interposed directly between thesupply and jig tank and having blank spaces between its ports, amultiported valve mounted to control the seat ports, the width of theblank spaces between the ports of the valve seat bearing a ratio to thewidth of the 5 valve ports commensurate with the period of subsidencedesired in each valve cycle, and means to operate the valve toperiodically open and close said seat ports.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MARTIN J. LIDE.

